#1023 built by Wallace M Byam

[moparjohn]

Hey Bud, sounds like your moving well along!! My 69 charger came from Gand Junction!! Keep me posted as you get closer, if you need a place to rest or eat, the door is open. I can possibly meet you on the road to get the vent lids if nec. MPJ

[wasagachris]

Originally Posted by moparjohn

Hey Bud, sounds like your moving well along!! My 69 charger came from Gand Junction!! Keep me posted as you get closer, if you need a place to rest or eat, the door is open. I can possibly meet you on the road to get the vent lids if nec. MPJ

Bad news John. Frank wants to do a cannonbal run from his place to mine on Nov 7. We won't be stopping by so I didn't finish polishing the lids or bring themwith me. When I get back I will do them and contact you later. I may be back down that way soon and can bring them or I can ship them.

[wasagachris]

I forgot to mention that I didn't even get on the road before someone asked me about the trailer. I was fueling up right next to the motel when I was asked what year it was and where did I get it. The next fill up at Soldiers Pass Utah I met a guy who has a 73 Overlander that he has fixed up. All day long as cars approached me from behind they would slow down and pace me to get a good look at the trailer. I got several thumbs up and honks of approval too.

[slowmover]

Glad the flatdeck trailer is performing well. And that the A/S isn't moving while under tension.

Take your time. It isn't the distance per day . . it's the monotony of day after day after day where complacency creeps in.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by wasagachris

Bad news John. Frank wants to do a cannonbal run from his place to mine on Nov 7.

Whoa , there Cowboy. A cannon ball run is your idea. I personally like to smell roses, sample springs, and snack on the sweets along the road. I am putting myself at your disposal my friend.

Jackson Center has the panels all ready for you. Just ask for Karen in Parts. She is expecting you. Their hours are 8- 5 mon - fri Tours start at 2.

[wasagachris]

What was supposed to be only " a couple of hours" work according to the scrap yard this morning turned into 8 1/2 hrs work and I ended up helping to speed things along.
I left Grand Junction Colorado this morning at 7:00 AM so I could arrive in Delta CO when they opened up at 8:00 AM. I was on time and gave them instructions about how the parts were to be cut off and left them to it.
I came back 3 hrs later expecting to load up and head east.
that didn't happen so I'm right back where I was last night waiting for the sun to rise before heading east.
I don't want to drive at night and especially over the Rocky Mountains in Colorrado.
I lost 5 hrs of driving today so I will have to adjust my schedule to make up the time and arrive on time.

[TG Twinkie]

Here is the website for the Colorado Web cams. Showing the road conditions. Hope it helps.
Colorado Web Cams If this doesn't get you there just type ColoradoWebCams into the search engine and look for the above.
Travel Safe and Keep the Shiny side Up

[wasagachris]

Today started the real beginning of the trip back east. I lost a day yesterday due to the scrap yard taking so long so I set out early this morning before sunrise. 12 hrs later and I'm back on schedule and then some. I set a goal of 500 miles today, stopping in Colby Kansas. When I got there it was only 4:00 PM so I kept heading east. I drove until 9:30 PM CST. and stopped for the night in Junction City Kansas. It was farther than I wanted to go but was the only spot I could get a room. 700 miles today and almost halfway to JC. If I put another 600 miles behind me tomorrow I can do the final 200 miles on Tuesday morning. That will give me enough time to p/u the part for Frank, do the tour and then get a few hundred miles closer to Baltimore. I can the arrive in Baltimore early in the afternoon on Wednesday, a day early.
I have to thank the engineers at Ford. The truck pulled the trailer (about 5000 lbs) over the Rockies today through Colorado without any real effort. I was able to climb up the overpasses at a steady pace of 55 - 60 MPH. Going down the other sides you just press the brake with the tow/ haul mode engaged and the truck gears down and uses the engine to keep it a steady safe speed, saving the brakes almost entirely on the down slopes.
I was able to do a steady 70 MPH from Denver to here and averaged just under 10 MPG.
I'm going to look at Mapquest now and see how far I can get tomorrow and pick a motel room that fits the plan.
1 more long day of travel and then 2 easy days w/ a tour of the mothership and Ill be at FTW in Baltimore and I can finally unhitch.
8 days in tow so far and I'm getting a bit fed up always looking for parking/ fuel and food stops that will fit 50+ ft of truck and trailer.

[slowmover]

getting a bit fed up always looking for parking/ fuel and food stops that will fit 50+ ft of truck and trailer.


Use truckstops with full-service restaurants: T/A, Flying J, etc. I prefer the independent association, AMBEST (see directory), over the chains. The locations also tend to be good: either before or after major metro areas.

Parking is easy, fueling is easy, and a sit-down meal beats fast food any day.

Your emphasis on hurrying skates on thin ice, IMO.

.

[wasagachris]

Indy 625 you say?
Yes that's how far it was from last nights stop in Kansas to Indianapolis where I am tonight.
I travelled through 4 states and two time zones to get here.
I didn't leave until 9:00 AM due to the time zone change yesterday. I stopped at 11:00 am for a restroom break both for myself and the dog.
Stopped again at 12:30 PM for fuel and lunch. Drove through 3 major urban centers. Topeka before 11:00 AM which was a breeze. Went through St. Louis at 3:30 PM a little busy but no problem. Stopped east of St. Louis for another restroom break. A fuel stop at 6:00 PM and went through Indianapolis at 8:30 PM EST. I'm at a motel on the east side of Indy now. Will be leaving later in the AM for the three hour drive to Jackson Centre.
Today was a very nice and easy drive with the exception of the last 1.5 hrs in Indiana. I-70 is a mess. What isn't under construction should be. It beat the hell out of the truck/trailer combo. I was more tired from that last part than the first 500 miles.
I actually clipped one of those construction cone swith the trailer as it jumped through the mess the roads department forces you to drive on for miles while the two lanes are closed for no apparent reason.
I recommend that anyone considering travel through there avoid it at all costs.
I can't wait to get to JC and check out the place. I want to see parts/service and am especially looking forward to going on the tour.
I saw 5 A/S today all going west 0n I-70. Two were in transit, one was parked at a rest stop and the last tow were Bambi's on the back of a truck headed to some dealer.

[ND10CentCan]

Originally Posted by wasagachris

Today started the real beginning of the trip back east. I lost a day yesterday due to the scrap yard taking so long so I set out early this morning before sunrise. 12 hrs later and I'm back on schedule and then some. I set a goal of 500 miles today, stopping in Colby Kansas. When I got there it was only 4:00 PM so I kept heading east. I drove until 9:30 PM CST. and stopped for the night in Junction City Kansas. It was farther than I wanted to go but was the only spot I could get a room. 700 miles today and almost halfway to JC. If I put another 600 miles behind me tomorrow I can do the final 200 miles on Tuesday morning. That will give me enough time to p/u the part for Frank, do the tour and then get a few hundred miles closer to Baltimore. I can the arrive in Baltimore early in the afternoon on Wednesday, a day early.
I have to thank the engineers at Ford. The truck pulled the trailer (about 5000 lbs) over the Rockies today through Colorado without any real effort. I was able to climb up the overpasses at a steady pace of 55 - 60 MPH. Going down the other sides you just press the brake with the tow/ haul mode engaged and the truck gears down and uses the engine to keep it a steady safe speed, saving the brakes almost entirely on the down slopes.
I was able to do a steady 70 MPH from Denver to here and averaged just under 10 MPG.
I'm going to look at Mapquest now and see how far I can get tomorrow and pick a motel room that fits the plan.
1 more long day of travel and then 2 easy days w/ a tour of the mothership and Ill be at FTW in Baltimore and I can finally unhitch.
8 days in tow so far and I'm getting a bit fed up always looking for parking/ fuel and food stops that will fit 50+ ft of truck and trailer.

WSChris,
Since it will be a couple of years before we can attend the big spring event at Jackson Center, can you pick up a couple of items for us? A couple of end caps for the Sovereign, new side segments for the 1959, some polishers, replacement lenses, new accessories, and something fun for around the campfire. Just a few suggestions

How is your dog getting along? It must be ready to be home by now. Hope the rest of the trip goes well.
Sandy

[slowmover]

I-70 is a mess. What isn't under construction should be. It beat the hell out of the truck/trailer combo. I was more tired from that last part than the first 500 miles.
I actually clipped one of those construction cone swith the trailer as it jumped through the mess the roads department forces you to drive on for miles while the two lanes are closed for no apparent reason.
I recommend that anyone considering travel through there avoid it at all costs.

Well. buddy, at least you're honest. Welcome to driving for a living. 600 per day is a helluva lot of work, day after day. More than that, well . . . .

.

[Aage]

Chris, don't forget to buy a t-shirt or a hoody in the Wally Byam Store! And have a look at all the parts, they even have all the rivet sizes in different colours to match the interiors of the various years of TTs.

I found I had to look carefully, there is more in the than you would think at first glance.

Oh, and get me some muffler bearings, please? I'm all out!

[Frank's Trailer Works]

make sure you ask Don why the Gold Trailer is treated so poorly and why it has not yet been restored.
Keep in mind also, that none of your trailers were assembled like you will see them doing it today.

[noreen&sal]

Originally Posted by REDNAX

Well. buddy, at least you're honest. Welcome to driving for a living. 600 per day is a helluva lot of work, day after day. More than that, well . . . .

.

I dont miss it one bit. Some days it felt like 600 miles in reverse. Sal.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

For those wondering, Chris is here in Baltimore and all is well. I am sure he will post all about his adventures soon enough.

[Lance M]

Yes I was wondering. Glad he is there safe and sound. Thanks for the update Frank.

[ND10CentCan]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

For those wondering, Chris is here in Baltimore and all is well. I am sure he will post all about his adventures soon enough.

Glad he is almost home and hopefully no more adventures have come his way. I can hardly wait for the photos!
Sandy

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Wasaga Chris made a huge mistake. He told me that he would work for "free" today. Told me, "i'll do what ever ya need. It will be a good learning experience..." Hope he wears his play clothes today.

[wasagachris]

Hi everyone who has been following this recovery. Sorry for the delay in posting but internet access and some troubles have prevented me from posting an update.
First of all as Frank says I did arrive in Baltimore safe and sound very early on Weds. morning (4:00am).

Last time I had posted I was in Indy on Monday night. I left there on Tues. morning at 10am headed for the mothership in JC. 2 hrs later I was refueling and getting a bite to eat right next door to it.
I picked up the segment for Frank, did some shopping in the Byam store, then went on the tour. There was so much aluminum everywhere I was giddy with glee.
The liner became somewhat of a celebrity while I was there. It seems that most of the town and the employees have aluminitis as I had three people talk to me about it while refueling, several customers approached me while at the plant. Don the tour guide actually stopped the tour for a few minutes and called me up to the front of the tour so that I could talk to some of the plant employees about the liner and it's recovery and my intentions regarding the restoration of it.
After the tour was over I went on a photo mission. There are several old and rare trailers there. Some the company owns and has on display, some are for sale from the service department, a 36? Bowlus is there for restoration by the company. They also have several old and rare trailers stored in the corner of the lot including Wally's gold trailer. I walked around snapping pics of everything. By the time I got up to the old trailers and Wally's gold one the plant was closed for the day and it was very quiet and vacant. While walking back from the corner of the lot I passed a pedestrian entrance through the fence. It was open and unattended as I thought. So off I went and walked up to the corner of the lot and managed to get some close up shots of the old trailers and especially Wally's gold one. After a few minutes I was chased out by a security guard but not before getting the shots I wanted.

Now this is where the day takes a turn for the worse. I left JC at 5:30 PM headed for PA to stop for the night at a motel near another forum members house. after spending so much time taking pics i was 2 hrs behind sked. I hit the Columbus Ohio area during rush hour and got caught in a jam. Once traffic started flowing I ended up stuck in the left lane for quite a while and had to travel at a higher speed than I wanted to travel at. After several miles I was able to move over and slow down. Everything was going well and I was catching up a little bit on the time to PA. While climbing up a major hill in PA my truck suddenly went in to "reducing power" mode and the little pictogram of a wrench indicating service required started flashing on the dash. So the last 90 minutes of the trip left me with no ability to climb the hills at any more than 30 mph and a top speed of 50 mph.

If that wasn't bad enough the motel that I had reserved at wouldn't honor the reservation because of the dog even though I had a confirmation number. The clerk was quite rude. After trying two more motels that were pet friendly and driving up and down the interstate which is under construction and very restricted and finding no place to stay I decided to keep going on down the road for Baltimore. Either they had no parking for the truck & trailer or the parking was a block away, far out of site so I just kept going. I wasted 2.5 hrs trying to find a room so I left PA for Baltimore at midnight after refueling. I arrive in Baltimore and 4 am and slept in the truck for 5 hrs until Frank arrived. It was just my luck thta this was the one rare morning that Frank had other commmitments and didn't arrive until that late. However everything went well after that. frank & his employee Wayne spent some time repositioning trailers on the lot and I was finally able to unhitch.
I was able to get my first look at the BB (61 Sov) and the 54 Caddy that I bought and Frank was so gracefully storing for me. the trailer is very cool and the work that Frank has done is excellent. I love the Caddy and can't wait until I can get tags for it and go for a cruise in it.
Today and Friday Frank & I are spending some time on projects he has on the go. We will also spend some time doing up a floor plan for the liner and discussing options for it.
Frank & his very nice family are taking the weekend to be tourists with me and show me all around the DC area.
Monday Frank & I head for my place with the BB and the Caddy.
I'll be home Monday and can send my employee home as he has been house sitting for me while I was on this trip. I will be posting all the pics and comments on them after that.